Working Out and Meditation

Is it better to do headspace before the morning workout - because the workout might benefit from it -or after the workout to get ready for the day?

Answer:

It’s a great question and will depend very much on your motivation. Meditation can be used to prepare for exercise, or to recover form exercise. And of course the quality of mindfulness we generate, cultivate and develop in our meditation, can even be used during the activity itself to enhance our performance, or increase our sense of enjoyment.

So, if you are looking to use meditation as a way to increase performance, then I would do it beforehand. This will ensure that you are focused in your workout. It will mean that you are less likely to get distracted, less likely to talk yourself out of the activity, and your body and mind will be working in unison for the optimum result.

However, if you are more interested in simply developing or refining your meditation technique, then it is much more personal. Many people find that doing some exercise first really helps the meditation. It’s as if a lot of excess energy gets burnt off and so the mind finds it easier to relax and let go. There may also be a few endorphins still racing around the system, which tend to feel rather nice as well.

So, if you are a person who finds them-self highly agitated, or very restless during meditation, then it can be very useful to do some exercise first. But if you find you settle into your meditation quite effortlessly, then you may prefer to do it before you begin your exercise. The reason for this is that you may well find that you stir things up during intense bouts of exercise, making it more difficult for the mind to settle afterwards.

So, as you can see, it really is a very personal thing. But as I always say, it is best to experiment with these things. Try a week doing it one way and then a week doing it the other. And then compare. You’ll very quickly find what works best for you.